Justice sues BP, 8 others over Gulf oil spill

Justice sues BP, 8 others over Gulf oil spillBy Kevin Johnson and Rick Jervis, USA TODAYOil giant BP and eight other companies were targeted by the Justice Department on Wednesday in a civil lawsuit that probably will seek billions of dollars in damages related to this year's massive Gulf oil spill, the largest offshore spill in U.S. history.The government's lawsuit — its first major legal action related to the disaster — seeks unspecified penalties under the Clean Water Act and asks that eight of the defendants be held liable "without limitation" under the Oil Pollution Act for all oil removal costs and damages to the region. Under the Clean Water Act alone, the government could be allowed to collect penalties up to $4,300 per barrel spilled if it proves gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Teams of scientists supervised by the U.S. government have estimated that 4.9 million barrels of oil spewed into the Gulf after the explosion April 20 of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.

"We intend to prove that these defendants are responsible for government removal costs, economic losses and environmental damages without limitation," Attorney General Eric Holder said, describing the lawsuit as the government's "crucial first step forward." Holder said a separate criminal investigation is continuing.

He said "important safety and operating regulations were violated" before the spill. The government has alleged that the defendants failed to use "the best available and safest drilling technology" and that "continuous surveillance" of the well was not maintained.

BP (BP) said the government's action was expected.

"The filing is solely a statement of the government's allegations and does not in any manner constitute any finding of liability or any judicial finding that the allegations have merit," BP said in a statement. "BP will answer the government's allegations in a timely manner and will continue to cooperate with all government investigations and inquiries."

The company said it had set aside $20 billion to pay all legitimate claims.

In Grand Isle, La., one of the hardest-hit communities in the spill zone, the lawsuit was welcome news. "There are a lot of people who haven't yet been compensated by BP," said Grand Isle Councilman Jay LaFont. "There's no other way to do it. Finally, some organized justice is being aimed at BP."

George Barisich, a St. Bernard Parish, La., fisherman and president of the United Commercial Fishermen's Association, said the legal action is the only way to account for damages. "They should be made to pay for the grossness of the infraction," he said. "It looks like someone's actually searching for the truth and actually penalizing them for what they did. Let's see how far they pursue it."

The other companies in the suit are Anadarko Exploration & Production and Anadarko Petroleum; MOEX Offshore 2007; Triton Asset Leasing; Transocean Holdings, Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling and Transocean Deepwater; and BP's insurer, QBE Underwriting/Lloyd's Syndicate 1036. The Justice Department says QBE/Lloyd's can be held liable only up to the amount of insurance policy coverage under the Oil Pollution Act.

Jervis reported from Biloxi, Miss.

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